


Through Ages and Times

by Bittodeath



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon Compliant, Canon Relationships, Canonical Character Death, Established Relationship, Feelings, I Don't Even Know, Memory Charms, Memory Related, Multi, Non-Canon Relationship, Not Epilogue Compliant, Time Travel, Time Turner, Wizarding World, slight Jegulus, wolfstar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-12 01:48:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13537080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bittodeath/pseuds/Bittodeath
Summary: When sixth year students James, Sirius and Remus tried their own Time-Turner, they didn't expect to go back as far as the 17th century. And they surely didn't expect to meet James's son there.





	Through Ages and Times

“We’re almost there”, James said through gritted teeth, holding his wand tightly.

Sirius didn’t answer, so focused his tongue was lolling out of his mouth in a very Padfoot way. Remus felt his heart hammer in his chest – this was one of the most dangerous things they’d done, after becoming Animagi the preceding year, and he wasn’t feeling good about that. Not good at all. Nor did he feel good about leaving Wormtail out of this – but it was true Peter was a lousy wizard amongst geniuses, and this was a delicate operation. Highly illegal, and highly difficult. He wanted to remind them it was probably not worth the effort, but breaking their focus would be just as dangerous.

James pulled away, panting, and Sirius carefully grabbed the gleaming pendent with a mad grin.

“We did it”, he said, amazed, his grey eyes twinkling, and Remus’s heart did a thing – Merlin’s beard, he was so in love. “We did it!” he said again, grabbing his collar and kissing him breathless. Remus made a noise against his lips and James laughed, kicking Sirius’s shins to stop their PDA.

James wiped his brow and looked outside: the sky was becoming clearer and cleared, and suddenly he was drained of all his strength.

“Alright”, he breathed, “I think we can put it away for tonight. It’d be too dangerous to try anything else tonight.”

Remus readily agreed, and Sirius gave them a pout but he was shaking on his legs. They pulled off a plank from the Shrieking Shack, put the pendent carefully wrapped in layers of blue velvet in the hole, and closed it again before getting under James’s Cloak, all squeezed together.

*

“You do realize this is highly dangerous?”, Remus whispered as Sirius unwrapped their creation.  
“Moony, we talked about this already”, James said. “This is even better than becoming Animagi. This way, you don’t have to suffer.”  
“But going back in time… Confronting Fenrir…”  
“It’ll be fine, you’ll see”, Sirius smiled, holding his head and looking into his eyes. “Completely fine.”

They took a breath and Sirius pulled the chain around his neck, holding it out for James and Remus to get in. Once they were all huddled, he started to turn one part of their artisanal Time-Turner.

“Don’t!” a voice rang and, as everything flashed white, James felt a hand grab his arm tightly. Sirius’s hand ripped on the device and he started to swear loudly, before everything disappeared.

*

A rush of cold made them gasp, only to feel their mouths with salty water. Sirius opened his eyes through the pain of it, grabbed Remus’s hand tightly and started to swim upward, to the light. He could feel James doing the same, pulling along whoever was with them now. That was not the way it was supposed to happen.

Their heads broke through the surface and they all gasped for breath, pushing their hair out of their faces.

“Reg?!” Sirius cried out. “What the _fuck_ are you doing here?”

Regulus was gasping and trembling, holding on tightly to James, his face white and horror-stricken.

“I can’t swim”, he gasped, completely terrified, “I can’t swim, I can’t-”  
“Calm down, Reg”, James said in a soft voice, holding him tightly. “It’s alright. I won’t let you drown, okay?”

The boy only whimpered, his fingers clenched on James’s shoulders, as the older boy pushed his black strands out of his face to look at him.

“Guys… Where are we?” Remus asked at Sirius’s side.

Sirius looked around: water, water everywhere, all around them.

“MEN OVERBOARD!” a voice shouted somewhere above them, and finally they saw the obvious ship near them.

Someone threw ropes to them and they were quickly hauled aboard, drenched and shivering from the cold. A deadly silence fell on the deck when they fell on it, and the three older boys exchanged looks. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong. Who these days sailed a frigate? James looked up, still holding Regulus against him, as Sirius instinctively shielded Remus with his own body.

“Well, well, well. Look what we’ve got here”, a voice said, sounding amused. “Drenched wizards.”

Words died in Sirius’s throat, as James’s mouth went dry. That couldn’t be good.

“But… they’re only kids!” another voice said as they were pulled up. “Look, Hogwarts’s crest, they’re still in school!”  
“Merlin’s beard”, a third voice swore, staring at James. “Get the captain, quick.”  
“Where… Where are we? Who are you?” Remus finally managed to say, looking around at the weather-beaten faces all around them.  
“Welcome aboard the _Flying Dutchman_ ”, a fourth voice said, clear and slightly mocking, “the only all-wizards ship existing. You can stand up, you know”, the man added.

They did, squeezing their clothes as they looked at him. He was tall and slender, probably in his late twenties or early thirties, with a pointy face and white-blond hair slicked back and held into a ponytail, half hidden under his tricorn. There was a hint of fair stubble on his chin, and he was wearing all vibrant green tailored like an English Dragon’s uniform – except his pants, pearl grey, and his dragon-hide boots. There was a sword at his right side, and he peered at them, gasping when his eyes fell on James and tripping backwards.

“Merlin’s beard”, he whispered, “it can’t be… Harry! HARRY YOU HALF-ASSED TWAT GET DOWN HERE!” he yelled. “And someone get them dry clothes, please.”  
“Yes, sir.”  
“What are you yelling about so early in the morning?” a voice sounding way too much like James’s said with a yawn. “There’s no need to get your panties in a twist, darling…”  
“Don’t call me that”, the blond man gritted, and suddenly there was a wand in his hand and he had jinxed the approaching man, who gasped and laughed.  
“Nasty, Draco, I didn’t deserve that. Now what…”

He stopped dead in his tracks when his eyes fell on the four boys all huddled together on the deck. He was about as tall as the other man, and seemed to be of the same age, though he was completely different. He had a mane of dark hair lazily pulled back into a bun, and a black beard eating at his cheeks. His skin had the tan of someone spending their days outside in the sun, aside from a small, white scar on his forehead, shaped like a lightning bolt. He was wearing a white, loose shirt opened on his wide chest, and a red and gold coat. A wand hang lazily from his hand.

“It can’t be”, he said, his eyes wide, and his uncanny resemblance with James made them all shift uncomfortably.

He looked just the same, but older, and with dazzling green eyes. His eyes darted from face to face, frowning slightly at Regulus, and widening even more at their Hogwarts robes. He would have collapsed if his blond companion hadn’t reacted in time and held him back.

“Get them to my quarters”, he finally mumbled, “with dry clothes. And towels.”

James felt something shift inside his gut, something telling him this was very wrong in some way. He just couldn’t tell which. They followed the blond man and James’s doppelganger to a set of wide doors, looking around them curiously. The doors closed behind them and they found themselves with towels and clothes in their arms, while the blond guy helped the other sit down and gave him a glass of what appeared to be Firewhisky. Remus didn’t know if the knowledge that those guys were wizards was comforting or not. They changed out of their clothes quickly, James coaxing Regulus into following their lead. The boy was still pale and shivering, and they glanced at the two men talking in low voices. The dark-haired one caught James’s eyes, and looked at Regulus. Slowly, he stood up and walked up to them.

“You don’t look too well, boy”, he said in a gentle tone, leading him to an armchair. “Here, let me do a quick check-up, will you?”

Regulus looked too stunned to say anything against that, and the man didn’t appear menacing in any way. He casted several spells in a quick succession, mumbling to himself before he cast several more.

“Mind if I give him a Sleeping Draught? His mind is quite a mess right now; he needs to sleep it off. The shock was too much for him.”  
“Go on”, Sirius croaked, looking slightly worried about his brother. Well, they weren’t in the best terms, but James’s knew he wouldn’t let anything bad happen to him if he could avoid it.

The blond man handed the other a vial, who made Regulus drink it before he effortlessly lifted him up and put him on a nearby bed. It was obvious this was a wizarding place – it was way too wide for a normal ship.

“Sit down”, the man offered once Regulus was tucked in. “You may call me Harry, captain of the _Flying Dutchman_ , and this is my second, Draco.” His eyes fell on Sirius, who gulped and straightened up. Something about this man felt familiar and reassuring, but also very disconcerting. “Tell me, Padfoot, how come you’re here?”

The three boys went livid at the iteration of Sirius’s nickname, and the man smiled slightly as Draco hit him on the back of his head, hissing a warning.

“I don’t mean you any harm”, Harry went on. “That would be ill-advised of me. I’m just wondering how you got here.” He paused. “How old are you, anyway?”  
“Who… Who are you?” Remus finally said.

There was a long moment of silence.

“Call me Harry for now”, he said again. “I’ll explain later. Now, Remus, Sirius… James. What are you doing in 1796?”  
“How do you know us?” James asked, his hands trembling. “How did you know for Padfoot?”  
“And how do I know you are three of the Marauders, and that fourth guy isn’t Wormtail? How do I know Moony over there is a werewolf? How do I know you, James, produce a stag Patronus? How do I know Padfoot is a black dog Animagi?”

Remus’s eyes widened, his hand clenching so tight on Sirius’s he left crescent mark on his skin.

“Are you… Are you James? From the future?”

Harry smiled.

“Close, but no. I do come from the future… Not just this time’s future, but from your future as well.”  
“Are we related, then?” James asked, trying to make sense of everything.  
“We are”, Harry nodded, before receiving another back-handed slap behind his head. “Ouch, Malfoy! You’re sleeping on the couch tonight, I warn you!”  
“Stop messing around”, the blond man hissed. “You hated when Dumbledore did that to you, but you’re doing just the same. Honestly, Harry, you’re such a git!”  
“That’s rich coming from you!” Harry said, affronted.  
“Malfoy”, Sirius chimed in, “as like, Lucius Malfoy?”

There was a new silence as the two men turned to look at him. A shadow passed on the blond man’s face.

“Yes. Lucius Malfoy…” he breathed “was my father.”

Gears started to turn in their heads as they processed this new information. Then, slowly, James looked up, peering at Harry. He opened his mouth hesitantly, closed it, and opened it again.

“Are you… Are you my son?” he whispered, no knowing which answer he most expected.

Another silence stretched as they all looked at Harry expectantly. He looked stricken by the situation.

“Yes”, he finally answered. “Yes, I am your son. Harry James Potter. Pleased to meet you.”  
“Merlin’s beard”, Sirius swore. “You two really do look alike. Except the eyes. You probably have…”  
“My mother’s eyes, yes”, Harry said with a small smile. “Lily Potter. Well, you must know her as Lily Evans.”  
“You do have her eyes”, Remus nodded slowly, peering into those familiar green eyes. Then he frowned. “But what are you doing here, then?”

Harry chuckled as Draco pulled a chair to sit down next to him.

“Alright, I’ll answer first, but then I want your story.” He looked at both Remus and Sirius. “Neither of you actually told me about this. Nor that you were together, though now that I think about it, it should have been obvious.”  
“You’ve always been quite oblivious to these things”, Draco retorted, sounding amused. “I wouldn’t put it past you. Now for the answer… Harry became an Auror. I chose to be a Dark Arts Reverser.” He looked at James. “He’s just as Gryffindor as you, you wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve seen him in my clinic in so little time.”  
“Draco, they don’t need the whole backstory”, Harry whined, nudging him with his foot. “Just go straight to the point.”

Draco glared at him, sighed and went on:

“Anyway, one day Harry did an intervention and the blast of accidental magic sent things flying. He found himself stuck with a magical watch that had been tempered with, so he came to me, but when I tried to help… We found ourselves on this ship.”

They exchanged a glance – there was a lot more to this story, it was obvious.

“How long have you been here?” James asked in a breath.  
“Seven years”, Draco answered in a soft voice.  
“Is there… Is there no way to go back?” Remus asked, anguished.

Harry looked at Draco, who nodded.

“We can arrange a travel back for you”, Harry finally said, “but it will take some time, and we will need your help. How did you end up here anyway?”  
“A Time-Turner”, Remus replied. “We made a Time-Turner. I don’t know what went wrong.”  
“Would you be able to make another one?” Draco asked, thoughtful. “It would make things easier.”

They exchanged looks, and then Sirius nodded.

“Yeah, we can.”  
“Good.”

Draco stood up and waved his wand. Immediately, the room started to change around them, and soon they were standing in a small room with one big bed taking all the available place, in which Regulus was still sleeping tightly.

“That’s the best we can do”, Draco said. “You’ll have to sleep here.”

They shrugged – it was nothing new, after all they often shared a much smaller bed, and Wormtail was definitely plumper than Regulus. The blond man checked on the sleeping teen.

“Lunch can be taken when you want. Dinner will be served in the main room, and you’ll find change of clothes in the drawer under the bed. You can go anywhere you please, but be careful. If you need either Harry or me, you can find us in the cabin next door.”

They nodded, a bit dizzy with all these new things – and they could easily guess Harry and Draco were just as shaken. Draco closed the door, but Sirius opened it and followed him.

“Wait”, he said. “I’ve got a question.”  
“Go on, then”, Draco replied with a faint smile.  
“If you have a way to go back… Why are you still here?”

Draco’s eyes softened as he looked at him. There definitely was something, in the shape of the mouth, and the crinkle at his eyes when he smiled… Blood never lied.

“Because for now, this is where we chose to be.” He paused. “Maybe we’ll tell you the story, but not today. Harry is quite shaken; I must be by his side.”

Sirius nodded and went back. There were things Harry and Draco were keeping from them, he knew it, but his head felt like it was about to explode. The others were silent when he entered, deep in thought. He laid on the bed with his head in Remus’s lap, the other boy threading his fingers through his long, dark hair, while James looked at the ceiling. He could hear Regulus breathing, slow and deep. Somehow, it was soothing.

*

They had fallen asleep without meaning to, and woke up when someone knocked at the door. It was Harry, who gave them a smile and craned his neck to look at Regulus.

“Draco said the potion should be wearing off by now. Is he awake yet?”

Just as he asked, Regulus’s eyes fluttered open and Harry smiled, rolling his sleeves. His coat was nowhere to be seen and he had rolled up his shirt’s sleeves. His wand was tucked in his bun, and James realized this was Lily’s move. She always brought her hair up like this.

“You lot slept right through the day”, he said with an easy grin. “Fill Regulus in and then come. It’s time for dinner.”

They followed him out of the room and found themselves facing a table large enough to fit the four of them plus the two adults, but nothing was set yet. Another door opened and Draco wandered in, drying his hair with a towel, half-naked.

“Damn it man, can’t you dress before coming in?” Harry chastised him, and Draco’s lips curled in a smirk.

But Regulus’s eyes had zeroed in on the faded tattoo on Draco’s forearm.

“How can you be a Death-Eater?” he asked in a shocked tone.

His voice brought a heavy silence on the room, the atmosphere getting chilly very quickly.

“That’s rich coming from you”, Draco finally answered, staring at him, “Regulus Black.”

But the other three were staring at him as well, their wands drawn out though not pointed at him yet.

“You have nothing to fear from Draco”, Harry sighed. “Please, put away those wands.”  
“What do you mean by that?” Regulus cried out, pointing his own wand straight at Draco and completely ignoring Harry. He had gone pale once more.  
“ENOUGH!” roared Harry, swishing his wand, and their owns flew out of their hands to his. “I want no wand at my table, and no threatening towards my man.”  
“I can defend myself fine enough”, Draco sneered. “I don’t need _Saint Potter_ to rescue me.”

Harry stared at him.

“Don’t you?” he finally whispered, and they saw Draco go stiff before walking out the door briskly.

Harry sighed, putting the wands in a nearby basket before he moved his wand once more so that the dishes would set the table.

“You have many questions, I know”, he said, sitting down. “And they’re not questions I’m glad to answer, but I will. So sit down, and don’t draw your wands on Draco again.”

Slowly, they sat down, glaring at him. It was obvious they weren’t happy to have their wands taken away – and so easily at that. Then again, he was Lily and James’s son. He could only be a great wizard. Harry looked at them one after the other and muttered something that sounded like “damn edgy teenagers” before he sighed.

“First things first – yes, Draco was a Death Eater. He defected Voldemort, though.” He was staring right at Regulus, something twinkling in his eyes.  
“So… So the war didn’t end?” Regulus slowly asked.  
“The war you know of ended in 1981, when Voldemort” – he saw them shudder at the name – “was at the height of his power. He came back, though. I fought the Second Wizarding War, from 1995 to 1998.”

Now, the four boys looked grim – just like Harry did.

“Did we help?” Remus asked, and Harry’s expression turned even sourer. It was obvious they were bringing back painful memories.  
“Yes”, a voice answered.

Draco was back, looking grim too, but determined. He put his hand on Harry’s arm and slid it to his hand, squeezing his fingers.

“You don’t know what it is you’re asking about”, he said in a softer tone. “The war you fought. The war we fought. The war the Dark-” he breathed – “the war _Voldemort_ brought to us.” He stared at them, and especially at Regulus. “Yes, I was a Death Eater. Just like you were, Regulus. And I turned my back on him. Again, just like you did.”

Everyone was looking at Regulus, now, who looked like he had something stuck in his throat. Draco moved to him and knelt by his side, cupping his face in both hands, and Harry’s heart fluttered at the sight.

“You were brave, Regulus”, he whispered, “very brave. Those damn Gryffindors would have been proud of you. _I’m_ proud of you, as a fellow Slytherin. As your cousin.”

Regulus was trembling, completely terrified, and slowly, Draco wrapped his arms around him.

“You’re going to be okay”, he whispered. “Everything will be alright.”

Harry’s heart clenched. It didn’t know what hurt the most – that Draco was lying to protect the boy, or to know he was saying those exact same words he would have needed at the same age. He knew he couldn’t lie to them – not after being lied to like he was. His fist tightened on his napkin and he struggled to control his tears.

“Don’t lie, Draco”, he said in a thick voice. “Please, don’t lie.”  
“I’m not lying”, Draco retorted, tightening his grip on Regulus. “He saved his own soul. He’s going to be okay.”

Regulus gripped Draco’s back firmly, shaking.

“Will I die?” he asked in a trembling voice.

Draco hesitated for a second.

“Yes”, he finally whispered back.

Regulus gasped, sobbing in Draco’s shoulder, who simply held him. There was nothing else he could do.

“It doesn’t hurt”, Harry said in a soft voice, and they all turned to look at him. He smiled a little. “Quicker than falling asleep.” His eyes turned to Sirius. “That’s what you said.”

Sirius remained frozen in shock, his eyes going from Harry to Regulus. Then, very slowly, he said:

“Did any of us survive?”  
“No”, replied Harry, poking at his food. He’d been hungry, but right now he really didn’t feel like eating. “No, none of you did. Dad… James… died saving me. You too, Sirius.” He smiled at Remus. “And you died protecting all of us. A hero’s death.”

James felt like he was about to say something stupid, but he needed to know:

“Did you… did you die, too?”  
“He did”, Draco replied, stroking Regulus’s hair, who was still sniffing in his shoulder. “Had to be a goddamn Gryffindor through and through, with his fucking hero complex.” 

He slightly pulled away to look at Regulus, looking worried, but now the boy’s face was blank.

“Is it how you got you scar?” Sirius asked. “It’s oddly shaped.”  
“I sure got it when Voldemort tried to kill me, but I didn’t die at that time”, Harry replied.

He hadn’t talked about any of this in years, and talking about it to the people who were supposed to know the most about it felt weird. Draco went back to sit in his own chair, and served everyone.

“We all need to eat. After all, Harry, you know things are not set in stone.”  
“Yes”, Harry replied, smiling a little. He looked at Sirius. “In third year, I went back in time with my best friend Hermione to save you. It was unnerving but I’m really glad I did it. You escaped Hogwarts on the back of a hippogriff.”

His attempt to lighten the mood was poor but James smiled anyway, looking at his best friend.

“I dare say that’s cooler than that flying motorbike”, Draco added, playing Harry’s game to distract the teens.  
“I had a flying motorbike?!” Sirius asked, his eyes shining.  
“And a leather jacket”, Harry nodded.

Now the three older boys were smiling and talking about how Sirius had probably done that, and slowly, Regulus joined them. If Harry was oblivious, Draco wasn’t, and it didn’t take him long to see the longing glances Regulus threw to James. He understood that way too much. He, too, had fallen for a Potter after all. Dinner ended and Harry sent everyone to bed, arguing that they’d had a long day. Draco was more than happy to comply.

*

Draco was drawing senseless patterns on Harry’s back, the other man laying with his head on his torso, his hair a complete mess, when Harry spoke.

“We can’t let them go back knowing all of this”, he whispered, his breath hot on Draco’s skin. “It’s too much, we can’t take the risk.”  
“But if we merely Obliviate them, they will try the Time-Turner again, if they manage to get their hands on it.” He paused for a moment. “Maybe… I’d need help from Hermione, though…”  
“If your idea involves books, she’ll be more than happy to oblige”, Harry mumbled sleepily.  
“It does. We could perform a Memory Charm. Lock their memories away while letting them know they shouldn’t try to get them back. Let them remember the adult you. They’d understand.” He paused again. “Although… We should leave his memory to Regulus.”

They exchanged a meaningful gaze and Harry smiled softly.

“I’ll think of something”, he promised. “You write to Hermione and find the appropriate Memory Charm.”

*

Despite the first gloominess of their weird trip, the teens quickly cheered up. They helped on the ship, when they didn’t work with Harry on a ticket back to their time. Regulus spent hours with Draco, learning everything he could from him, and proving himself to be a hard-working, creative and intelligent student. After a week, the promiscuity was wearing thin on their patience, though, and Harry resolved to rearrange the rooms so that Remus and Sirius could have one, and James another with Regulus. Even Captain Harry had noticed the longing looks Regulus gave to James, which was saying something. Hermione’s answer had come from the usual Cabinet, in the form of a letter long enough to be a NEWT essay.

“If you have this, why didn’t you go back?” Sirius asked to Draco again, confused.  
“Sit”, Draco told him with a sigh as he gathered his own research and set to sort it. “Through our Hogwarts years, Harry and I… well, we were enemies. Like you are with Snape”, he provided. “It was really nasty, and ugly. I guess the complete denial of our mutual attraction didn’t help either. Anyway. The war changed things, but it didn’t make friends out of us. It wasn’t even enough for us to be civil towards each other.”  
“But it changed after the war, didn’t it?” Sirius asked, helping him. “Or was it something else?”  
“We both went back to Hogwarts for an Eighth year. You see, a lot of Seven years didn’t study at their best because of the war. Our NEWTs weren’t as good as they could be, when we got it, and most of us were still dealing with the after effects.”

Sirius looked at him quizzically.

“Nightmares”, Draco replied. “Panic attacks. The rampant hate and suspiciousness. The grieving, too. So Headmistress McGonagall, with the Ministry, agreed that those who wanted to come back for an Eighth year were welcome. There wasn’t many of us, so we got to form a House of our own. Harry and I… well we were kind of forced to share a dorm. I guess that’s when we started to get to know each other – _really_ know, but I can’t say we were friends. There was too much between us for it to be that easy. Afterwards, Harry became an Auror, and I decided to open a clinic specialized in reversing the effects of the Dark Arts. Dark Artefacts accidents, detection of the Unforgivables…” He paused. “Removal of Dark Marks, too. And then one day, I was enjoying a stroll, when I stumbled on a panicked Ron who couldn’t Apparate, dragging an unconscious Harry who was losing his blood. It was obvious it was an emergency, and it was obvious he’d gotten that from some kind of Dark Arts, so instead of Apparating I…” he shrugged “I saved his life, quicker than any St Mungo’s Healer could have done. After that, Harry came to me every time he had a problem with the Dark Arts, which is to say quite often.”  
“So that’s when you became friends?”  
“Oh no”, Draco laughed, “we still very much loathed each other. Even our Eighth year hadn’t been enough to overcome that, so weekly meetings weren’t going to settle it.”  
“You can add that on my side, things weren’t exactly great between Ginny and me at the moment, so I wasn’t the most agreeable companion”, Harry chimed in, putting down two cups of tea on the table for them. “Ginny was my girlfriend”, Harry explained. “We got married after the war, and we had two sons. James and Albus, though Albus was still on the way when I found myself here with Draco. I never got to meet him.”

Sirius’s eyes widened.

“You have _kids_? Prongs is actually a _grandfather?”_  
“I guess so”, Harry laughed. “Well, as I was saying, things were troubled between Ginny and me. Had been for a few years, mind you, but we saw no other way than to stay together. Of course she was pretty distressed when the accident happened, everyone thought we had died, but when we managed to talked again, we agreed we were better off separating.”  
“What you’re forgetting is that between the moment we disappeared and the moment we found a way to communicate with your friends, two years had gone by. Two years away from the world we both knew, and that knew both of us. An unforgiving world.” Draco looked at Sirius. “That’s when we became friends and more. And then… well, we found our place here. We’ve had no reason to go back yet.”

Harry rolled his eyes.

“That’s Slytherin for you”, he said. “We’re staying here because we decided to track down the Lost Artefacts of Merlin and Hogwarts Founders. That’s a pretty good cover story if we ever decide to go back, and Hermione is more than happy to give those to the Wizarding Museum.” He beamed at Sirius. “She opened it in London, along with the Wizarding Library. Your motorbike is there, you know, and still roaring.”

Sirius nodded, thinking about the story he’d just been told. At dinner that night, he asked Harry and Draco to tell them more about their Hogwarts years, and the four boys were delighted from their improvised duo that made for a wonderful story.

*

A month went by, with great progress on the new Time-Turner, the Memory Charms and the secret something Harry was working on in the dead of the night. The teens had gotten used to life on the boat, helping the eccentric wizards and witches living there with them and getting steadily stronger and tanner. Their diverse knowledge compensated for the missed Hogwarts lessons, and Quidditch Games had never been so fun. The outside world seemed a faraway dream. Until it was not.

“I’m scared”, Regulus whispered to James, hands clenched on his shoulders.  
“Don’t be”, James whispered back. “You’re not alone. I’ll be with you, always.”

Regulus smiled sadly. He knew this was a vain promise – he knew James had to go back to Lily. But he wanted to take whatever he could have, and this moment, he could. A few stolen weeks. Feverish kisses in the dark and promises that would be broken. The man he loved moaning his name in the middle of the night. The feeling of his hands all over him, like a searing reminder of what he would lose forever.

“I love you”, James said.  
“For now”, Regulus replied.

It would all end the moment they went back to their era.

It took another month before everything was ready, but eventually the day came. Draco and Harry had asked the boys to come to the main cabin, where they took dinners – but before that, they’d asked Regulus to meet with them.

“Here”, Harry said, handing him a Slytherin engraved locket. “When you’ll open it, it’ll bring you back here.”  
“Why…”  
“Because you have to die in the public eye”, Draco replied, “not in reality. You remember what Harry told you about the Inferi and the locket?”  
“Yes”, Regulus nodded, his hand clenched on the locket Harry had made for him.  
“You’ll probably get dragged underwater”, Harry said. “That’s when you’ll open the locket.”  
“And remember you’ll be the only one remembering those two months”, Draco added. “Be careful.”

There was a bit of protesting from the other three boys when Draco announced he would seal their memories, but they understood it was not only for them, but for the greater good.

“You will remember”, he promised. “James, on the 31 of October 1981. That day, you’ll remember everything. Sirius… 18th June 1996. Remus, during the Battle of Hogwarts. You will all remember.”

Harry couldn’t help himself and squeezed each and every one of them in his arms – for the last time, he knew.

“You will be coming back two days after you left”, Draco explained as he pulled the artisanal Time-Turner around their necks. “Good luck.”

And with a flashing white light, they were gone.

“What do we do, now?” Harry asked, holding Draco’s hand tightly.  
“We wait. Two hours.”

*

Regulus hid behind the gargoyle, his heart thumping loudly, when James went by. James, who didn’t remember a thing, and was walking around laughing and trying to get Lily to date him. Sirius, holding Remus’s hand as they walked through Hogwarts’s corridors. None of them remembered, and they wouldn’t remember until their time had come. Regulus knew everything had gone as planned – in fact, every piece fell into place almost too perfectly to be true. And whatever happened that day, he was sure he was doing the right thing. Knowledge had granted him calm, and he was thankful for that. Though it didn’t stop him from screaming when the Inferi pulled him under – but, his wand tightly clenched in his hand, he opened the locket and closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, he was laying, panting and drenched, on the deck of the _Flying Dutchman_.

“You did it”, Draco whispered, pulling him in and hugging him tightly, sounding overjoyed. “You did it, Reggie.”  
“Welcome back”, Harry smiled.

And Regulus knew the family he’d found was more real than the one he’d left behind – he knew he could make it through, and start over again.

*

James opened his eyes. It was only dawn, but something had woken him up. He didn’t know what. Slowly, as not to wake up Lily, he got up and grabbed his glasses. _Harry_. The flash of a memory. _I’m glad I got a chance to know you_ , Harry had said. He gasped. Merlin. He remembered. 31st, October 1981. Today was the day. Today, he would die. Feeling suddenly like he couldn’t breathe anymore, he ran out of the room and found himself in Harry’s bedroom, staring at the baby still sleeping. Gently, he took him in his arms. Harry whimpered but didn’t wake up, settling his cheek on his father’s shoulder and sucking the warmth of his body.

“I’m sorry, Harry”, he whispered. “I’m sorry you had to live this. But I want you to know that mom and me love you very much, okay?”

He didn’t realize he was crying, his face hidden in the comforting warmth of his baby’s body.

“James?” a worried voice called. “What’s wrong?”

He looked up, blinking away the tears, feeling a lump in his throat. Lily was standing in the doorway. God, she was beautiful, her long red hair falling to her waist, her purple negligée contrasting with her pale skin, her arms wrapped around herself. It was a bit chilly in their house.

“It’s nothing, Lily, don’t worry”, he said, standing up and putting Harry back in his bed. “Just a nightmare.”

He grabbed her waist, holding her against him. She was so warm, so painfully alive. He couldn’t imagine her cold and lifeless. Feverishly, he pressed his lips to her own.

“James”, she murmured, “are you _sure_ you’re alright?”  
“Yes”, he answered, his voice thick with tears. “Yes, yes, I’m fine… Just hold me a bit longer, okay?”

And she did. She held him and he made love to her, making sure to etch every memory in his mind. This was the last image he wanted to have of her. He took courage in her love, and in the small body of his son. He took courage, so that when the door burst open, he could be brave and strong. He could face Voldemort and meet his death – and know that at least, their baby boy would be alright. Yes, everything would be alright.

*

The jets of light hit Sirius’s chest, and he remembered. He _remembered_. He smiled. _Good_ , he thought. _Good._

*

Remus held Tonks in his arms. Harry had promised – Teddy was fine, Ron and Hermione had adopted him officially after he’d disappeared, and he was growing to be a fine young man. Everything would be alright. He would meet with Sirius, James and Lily again. At last. And they’d be able to talk about _damn Harry who chose that little git of Draco Malfoy_. Snape would probably be there too – he wondered how James had reacted to this strange “reunion”. Surely, he wouldn’t be too happy about the way Severus had behaved towards his son. That actually made him chuckle.

“What is it?” Tonks asked curiously.  
“It’s nothing, love. Just something I remembered.”

*

Two weeks went by after Regulus came back. And then, he was asked to come in the dining room to meet with Harry and Draco there. Family meeting.

“Our mission here is done”, Harry said. “We found everything we set out to find. We’ll be going back to 2012. You are the legitimate heir to Grimmauld House, and I’m sure Kreacher will be delighted to see you alive. Will you come with us?”  
“I don’t want to be alone”, Regulus whispered. “Not in that house.”

Harry and Draco exchanged a look, and Harry pushed a file towards him. Regulus opened it slowly, before looking at Harry.

“You… You want to adopt me?” he asked, uncertain.

Harry nodded.

“You need a family. As things are now, I’m the owner of Grimmauld Place.” He paused. “Once we’re back, Ginny and I will get a legal divorce, so Draco and I can get married. We’d leave in Grimmauld Place, the three of us. We can make it a home – the home I didn’t get to make out of it after the war. You’ll have time to get used to living in the 21st century. My kids will be over a week out of two. There’ll be week-ends at Ron and Hermione’s. Week-ends at the Burrow.”  
“We can make it”, Draco nodded.

They waited. And Regulus nodded slowly, before signing the file.

*

Leaving their friends on the _Flying Dutchman_ was difficult. Knowing the newspapers would write about them as soon as they’d make a public appearance didn’t really help, but Harry was happy to know he would finally settle. He barely even felt the trip back to his own time.

“Harry!” Hermione cried out when they appeared right in the middle of her living-room, jumping to his neck.  
“I’m back”, he whispered. “I’m back, and I’m never leaving again.”  
“Master Potter” a voice said, and Kreacher was there too, looking delighted. “And Master Regulus! The Mudblood said Master Regulus hadn’t died, but Kreacher couldn’t believe it until he saw it with his own two eyes.”  
“Kreacher!” Regulus said, beaming, as he picked up the old house-elf and hugged him tightly. “I’m glad to see you!”  
“Well, Malfoy”, Ron said. “I guess we’ll be seeing a lot more of you, then?”

Draco smirked.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Weasel. I’m not your friend.” He peered at Ron. “Not yet.”

*

“HARRY POTTER, THE-BOY-WHO-LIVED-TWICE, ABOUT TO LOSE HIS TITLE TO REGULUS BLACK?

After a sudden, seven years disappearance along with Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter miraculously re-appeared in London with the former Death-Eater. But Malfoy and Potter weren’t the only ones to come back from the dead: long lost Regulus Black, younger brother of the famous Sirius Black, was seen at their side.

In an official statement, Harry Potter declared that after traveling with Malfoy to gather the Lost Artifacts of Merlin, which are now displayed in the Wizarding Museum, he was divorcing from his wife, former Holyhead Harpies player Ginny Weasley, to marry his unlikely companion Draco Malfoy. The wizarding world was still wondering which of these news is the most unsettling, when Mr. Potter declared he had officially adopted Regulus Black as his own son.”

Harry pulled down the _Prophet_ Draco was reading out-loud, eyeing him.

“Pay attention to me, Mr. Potter”, he said, wiggling his eyebrows to Draco.  
“Who said I was taking your name?” Draco replied, folding the newspaper as he arched a white-blond eyebrow.  
“You’d rather I go by Harry Malfoy?”  
“Please no, Father wouldn’t survive this.”

They chuckled, huddling on the old couch. Grimmauld Place looked definitely nicer now.

“By the way, where did Regulus go?”  
“I think I just heard him open the back door”, Harry replied. “He must have gone flying.”  
“I don’t know, he seemed to be pretty keen on trying that _metro_ thing Muggles use.”  
“Harry, Draco?” they heard him call. “I’m home.”

Regulus entered the room. He looked startlingly like Sirius, with his hands in Sirius’s leather jacket pocket’s, wearing a pair of skinny pale blue jeans, but his long hair neatly tied up.

“Guess who got a job in _Promotion of Muggle/Wizard relationship_ ”, he said with a smile.

_Yes_ , Harry thought, _everything will be alright._


End file.
